LETTERS

Mary Naoma Gammon 

Mary Naoma Lentz Gammon Letters

The following letters were written by Mary Naoma (Lentz) Gammon wife of Lewis Larue Gammon while they lived on a farm in Leon, Iowa. (December 27, 1905, April 21, 1914, August 7, 1917, March 20, 1918 & September 30, 1918) and written to Mr. & Mrs. L. B. Morris (Leslie Boon Morris & wife Treulia Jane Gammon Morris) who lived in Lamar, Prowers, Colorado.  Some editing was done to make clear the sentences because periods were not used much in the original writing.  Words were spelled as written (i.e can’t is spelled cant, etc.)

Lewis LaRue Gammon

Cast of Characters:

Papa is Lewis LaRue Gammon who lived in Leon, Iowa, on a farm.

Mother is Mary Naoma (Lentz) Gammon who lived in Leon, Iowa. She took care of Laveta, Forest and Winslow for some time because their mother, Clara, would not or could not.

Treulia Jane (Gammon)
 Morris

Mrs. L. B. Morris is Treulia Jane (Gammon) Morris who lived in Lamar, Coloado.

Leslie Boon Morris

   Mr. L. B. Morris is Leslie Boon Morris who lived in Lamar, Coloado.

Winslow Claire Morris

Winslow is the third child of Clara Gammon wife of Lewis Hamilton, later adopted at age two by Leslie and Treulia Morris and taken to Lamar, Colorado to live.  Winslow married Berniece Clara (King) Morris and they have three boys Larry, Roger and Richard Morris.

George Clark husband of Etta (Mary Etta) Gammon

Etta is the wife of Geroge Clark and sister to Treulia Gammon Morris

Baby Alice another child of Clara Gammon but by another husband not Lewis Hamilton.


Clara (Gammon) Hamildton is the Mother of Laveta, Forest and Winslow.

Lonie  ???

Ella is Delilah Elvira Gammon sister to Treulia Gammon Morris

Leveta  or Laveta is the first born of Clara Gammon wife of Lewis Hamilton

Forest is the second child of Clara Gammon wife of Lewis Hamilton

Oakie or Okie ???

Maxine ???

Zoma is Treulia Zoma Morris 5th child of Leslie & Treulia Morris and lived in Lamar. Colorado

Opal is Opal Ardell Morris 2nd child of Leslie & Treulia Morris and lived in Lamar. Colorado

Mrs. Nelson  ????

Asa ????

Lavis ???

Fred ???

Charlie Smallwoods  ???

Roy Bremer ???

Mary Naoma Lentz Gammon Letter – December 27, 1905 to Treulia J. Morris

(Page 1)

Leon, Iowa                                                                                                December 27, 1905

Mr. & Mrs. L. B. Morris & family

Dear children   I now try to ans your most welcome letter we received several days ago & was glad to hear from you all but sorry to hear so much bad news but hope these few lines will find you all much improved & Mrs. Nelson too.  This leaves us all well but me & I guess I never will be any better.  I cant get around to do much.  We have been having fine weather here so far; but our work goes slow.  The baby can pull up to a chair & walk around a chair & Lonie is growing tall & Clara weighs 128 lb & Ella weighs 160 lb.  John & Lottie & Alta was here at

(Page 2)

Christmas – Ella & Asa gave me a paper rack.  Etta gave me a large dish.  Clara gave me a small dish.  Papa got a pair of ?????, a gimlet & pocket memorandum & handkerchief & Lonie got a little rocking chair, three books, a doll, a looking glass & mittens, comb & glove buttons & tooth picks & a little knife & fork & spoon.  Baby got a little horse, a little bell & rattler.  Etta & Clara got a new waist, a stem glass, two collars, a handkerchief, a box of ??? & ??? ribbon.  Ella got a paper rack, a pickle dish, a salt & pepper shake, two handkerchiefs & a collar, a vase & salt set & Asa got a pair of mittens, a handkerchief & tie -------This is the 28 & it is a snowing like fury this mourn.

(Page 3)

What has Otties got & what has Clara got?  What is Mrs. Nelsons name & address.  Ella said to tell you she got two papers but no pattern.  Ruey & Ruby Hazelet is both teaching school.  Girtie Gammon Potter has a girl.  Charlie Smallwoods wife dead & left a little boy 13 months old.  Uncle Lee & aunt Mat Gammon is here a visiting.  Ella has just made Lonie & Lavis a new dress.  Oh yes I guess Fred sent Lonie a little linen book.  He has not wrote us since September.

Well I will close my scribbling for this time.  Hope to hear from you soon.  Good by from your Mother.

Definition:

Gimlet - a small T-shaped tool with a screw-tip for boring holes.

Mary Naoma Lentz Gammon Letter – April 21, 1914 to Treulia J. Morris

(Page 1)

Leon, Iowa                                                                                                April the 21 - 1914

Mr. & Mrs. L. B. Morris & family

Dear children      I will try to write you a few lines in answer to the letters we received yesterday and today.  I was so sorry to hear that Treulia is so sick but in Lolas letter she said her mamma felt a little better.  I do hope she will continue getting better.  I am so worried about her & tied here at home & can’t get away.  Papa wanted to come but could get no one to look after the stock & some of them needed looking after & Ella would have come but haint in shape to come but for all you do let us hear from her often.  We are all well but Papa & I are tired.  I have so much to do that I never have a minute to sit down to rest.  Roy Bremer has been down sick for three weeks.  Clara & her children is all well again.  Clara has been having a hard time.  Her & the children has been sick so much.

(Page 2)

I have 30 little chicks and 14 hens a setting & six turkeys setting.  I get about 130 eggs a day & we milk 7 cows so you see I have some churning to do.  We have fine weather here now.  I called & told Ella to write last night as my head hurt me so bad.  It is now 11 o’clock.  The rest are a sleep & I have wrote this half asleep.  Excuse my paper as I dont get to town anymore so I have run out of paper & cards.  I sent for some two days but did not get them.  Our hand got hired and quite so we are alone.  Good by.  Write soon & often.

             from Mother

Mary Naoma Lentz Gammon Letter – August 7, 1917 to Treulia J. Morris

(Page 1)

This letter is when Winslow was still in Leon.

Leon, Iowa                                                                                                Aug the 7 - 1917

Mr. and Mrs. L. B. Morris and family

Dear children

I will try to write you a few lines in answer to some of the letters I could not answer for I could not get a minute when I was awake but I would tell Lorri and Ella to write.  I tried to get Ella to write but she would not.  She said you never wrote to her so I won't ask forgiveness for I know I have done the best I could for I have worked as long as I could hold my head up and just had it to do to keep things up.  Lorri is not as good help as she could be & her & the children don't get along very well.  That is Laveta,

(Page 2)

Forest and Oakie & her & Etta is always into it.  They all like Winslow.  He is such a sweet baby one could not help loving him.  The worst with him is he will fight.  We got a letter from Clara saying she would be here in a week or two after the children of course.  I don't know what she will do but I hope she will come and get them.  I hate to see them separated.  They have bought them a small house and lot in Des Moines so they say & will come after the little children.  They are all nice little children & kiss me ever night before going to bed.  We are all well at this writing but Papa and I are tired and wore out.  We sure need rest.  We had a big rain last night which we needed bad.

(Page 3)

We will finish our hay tomorrow & then they will stack the oats and a little grass which they bound.  I never had such poor luck with chickens and turkeys.  I don't know if I will raise any or not.  Saturday eve the 11th I & Papa is a going to town.  They have been stacking oats.  Well Claras time is about up to come after the children & if she don't come soon there will be something a doing.  I can't go any on her talk.  She has storied so many to me.  I have a good garden and I will try to write more another time.  They are ready for town.  Henry Coontz

(Page 4)

is here.  I think lots of the pictures you sent me.  They are all nice and I want to look at them all the time.  Zoma you wrote a nice letter, write a gain.  Grand Pa thought you was pretty nice when he was there.  I would like to see all of you but that is all the good it does.  From mother

Mary Naomi Lentz Gammon Letter - March 20, 1918 to Treulia J. Morris

(On the envelope was handwritten by Treulia that this was the “the first letter wrote to me after Winslow come home with me”)

(Page 1)

Leon Iowa                                                                                                March. 20. 1918

 Mr. & Mrs. L. B. Morris and family and dear little Winslow.  I will try to write you a few lines.  I fear some of you are sick.  How did little Winslow & Hershel get?  They were sick when you last wrote & girls you sure have lots to do.  You never have time to write.  What would you do if you lived in the brush.  Forest was sick all last night & all day today & tonight he is throwing up & has a sore throat.  Poor little boy it does him good for me to love him.  I got a letter from Henry this evening & Clara has a girl born the 18.   He did not say how they were getting along.  I bet poor little Leveta will have a hard time March 22.  I had to quit writing last night & splinter up a Turkeys leg.  It got it in between two boards when it went to roost & we found it last night about 11 o’clock with its leg broke.

(Page 2)

  We made a little garden the 19.  I put out two quarts of onion sets & sowed a bed of lettuce & radishes & planted some peas & if the weather stays nice I want to put out some more right away.  I set four hens yesterday for the first.  I get 75 eggs a day now.  We have six little calves now & 11 little pigs.  Papa has five acres of oats sowed & 7 more to sow yet.  Forest is better today.  He says he has 2 little sisters & 3 little brothers but he dont get to be with any of them.  Did Hershel get this ax handle?  I got Lewis a axe for his birthday & gave $2.00 for it.  Opal take good care of my swell Baby & love him for me.  Bless his heart he was always a good Baby when I had him.  Good night, I am tired and sleepy.  Write soon.     from Mamma

(Page 3)

 What are you going to let Winslow wear on his head this summer & are you going to let him wear little buster suits? I would like to hear from Clara to know how she is getting along.  I have a idea Leveta is pleased over her little sister.  She has been haveing gatherings in her head.  What did the folks say about the pictures?  Brother and I expects to get ours taken this summer when Brother gets a new suit.  This is friday & cold & windy.

I got up with a dreadful headache this morn.  I wish you could be here now, all of you.  George will go to town to day and bring Lonie out.  There will be no school tomorrow.  Maybe I will get a little help.  Well you will be tired of this silly letter so good by & lots of love to all & a great big kiss to my sweet little Winslow.  I am so hungry to see him.  He is never out of my mind.

                                                            1918

Mary Naomi Lance Gammon Letter - September 30, 1918 to Treulia J. Morris

(Page 1)

Leon Iowa                                                                                                Sept the 30 1918

Mr. and Mrs. L. B. Morris & family & dear little Winslow.  I will try to write you a few lines in answer to your ever welcome letter we received a few days ago but have not had time to answer until now.  We are all able to eat the Papa & I are not much good.  Papa and George has been drilling in wheat.  They have about 12 acres in & about 7 more to put in yet.  We have just got our cane worked up.  We had about 27 or 28 gallon.  George and Etta gets some of them.  Claras Baby Alice is not expected to live.  She has been sick a little over two weeks.  They called down here for us last Saturday a week and Papa & I & Leveta and Forest went up there and come back on monday.  She is a pretty baby but oh so poor & little.  She sure looks bad. 

(Page 2)

October the 6     & my old letter not done I just get around with my work so late to write & I go to sleep.  Etta works hard & still looks bad & her children are well.  Lewis & Leveta & Forest & Okie go to school.   Maxine is not very well yet Zoma.   Leveta will write to you before long.  She was so tickled to get your letter.

We haven't got our potatoes dug yet.   It won't take but a few hours to gether the apples.  We have quite a few bake squashes.  Papa & George finished drilling wheat yesterday.  They have been rather slow.  Ella got a letter from Clara yesterday & she says the baby is better & wanted Ella & her children to come up & bring Leveta & Forest with her.  She wouldent keep them when we was there.

(Page 3)

She wrote to us to get the children vaccinated so we took them up a friday & got them vaccinated so we obeyed.  Clara is so poor and looks awful bad.  We had strawberries & cream & sugar for supper tonight.  Cream is 61 cts a lb & butter is 50 cts a lb & eggs 38 cts a dozen.

October the 8    I washed today.  Did a big hard washing & I am awful tired.  The children soil so many clothes & I will have to iron tomorrow.  I work all the time but don't get much done.  Opal I am sorry you cant go to school & little Winslow what do you work at these times.  Oh how I would love to see him & all of you.  Etta got a letter from Clara this eve & her baby is not so well.  She says it is bloated.  I don't see how it can ever get well.  Well I will close for this time with love to all

(Page 4)

& a big kiss for little Winslow

from Mamma.